DID YOU KNOW?
1 in every 10 or 34.5 million people in the U.S. have some type of hearing loss. In addition, over 30 million people in the U.S. have diabetes.
CONNECTED?
It is possible that the high blood glucose levels associated with diabetes cause damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear, similar to the way in which diabetes can damage the eyes and kidneys.
OVERLAP
A recent study found that hearing loss is twice as common in people who have diabetes as it is in those who don’t have diabetes. Of the 88 million adults who have prediabetes, the rate of hearing loss is 30% higher than in those with normal blood glucose.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SUSPECT I HAVE A HEARING LOSS?
Talk to your doctor. Ask to be referred to an expert audiologist at Columbus Speech & Hearing for a hearing evaluation. Our audiologists can diagnose hearing loss and provide you with the best treatment options.
Since it can happen slowly, the symptoms of hearing loss can often be hard to notice. In fact, family members and friends sometimes notice the hearing loss before the person experiences it.
SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS
- Frequently asking others to repeat themselves
- Trouble following conversations that involve more than two people
- Thinking that others are mumbling
- Problems hearing in noisy places such as restaurants
- Trouble hearing the voices of small children
- Turning up the TV or radio volume too loud for others who are nearby
Appointments with our certified Audiologists are available at our Clintonville, Dublin and Westerville locations. Call (614) 263-5151 to schedule an appointment with one of our experts.
Information courtesy of the American Diabetes Association